Sheet piling may be used in various applications, including without limitation, levee, barrier wall and seawall construction, environmental control, and other applications. Sheet piles can be formed of various materials, including without limitation, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), steel, or other materials. A mandrel system can be utilized for installation of sheet piles when the depth the pile is to be driven and/or the hardness of the soil or other substrate through which the pile is to be driven exceed the structural ability of the piling to resist deformation. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,503,503, 5,803,672, 6,231,271, 7,056,066 and 7,914,237, and pending U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/778,545 and 13/104,207, are incorporated by reference herein.
Occasionally, during installation, adjacent sheet pilings may separate and/or rotate into misalignment, allowing for increased potential lack of integrity of a piling wall system. Further, application of sealant to the joints between adjacent pilings may not be fully effective using known installation processes, potentially rendering the sealant ineffective. Additionally, confirmation of the integrity of attachment between installed pilings at depth for quality control purposes is limited with known products and installation methods. Accordingly, it can be seen that needs exist for improved sheet piling structures and to improved methods for installation of sheet pilings. It is to the provision of improved sheet piling systems and installation apparatus and methods meeting these and other needs that the present invention is primarily directed.